New Journeys
by AnEmeraldPoppy
Summary: DG must join her friends to save her sister's life on another life-risking journey. Could the Black Witch have something to do with Azkadellia's illness? Or is something even more evil happening in the Outer Zone that threatens to destroy the Gale throne?
1. Prologue

The suns' light broke over a new OZ, free of the Black Witch and her evil. The newly reunited family smiled and gazed over their home.

"Now _this_ is the OZ I remember," DG said. Her parents smiled and hugged each other close as Azkadellia put one hand on her sister's arm.

But something was wrong. Azakadellia's grip tightened, suddenly vice like. DG heard her sister's sharp intake of breath as she collapsed. Cain, Glitch, and Raw rushed forward to catch her, but DG got there first.

"Azkadellia?" Their mother knelt beside her daughters, voice full of fear.

"Majesty, she needs a healer," Cain said.

"I'll go!" Ambrose cried out.

"But there's no one here—" Ahamo began.

"There are healers with Jeb!" Glitch shouted, already halfway out the door on his way to the base of the tower.

DG stood, arms crossed, on the small patio just outside her sister's bedroom. She was looking out over the—there was no other word for it—injured land. She glanced behind her. Azkadellia was still unconscious. The healer, who had finished examining Az, was with her parents now, but DG had decided to stay with her sister. She sincerely hoped that Az's collapse wasn't serious, that maybe it was just stress. It would be understandable, she smirked to herself.

"You can come in," said a tired voice, making DG jump. Az had finally woken up, and she was smiling. It was odd for DG to see a woman who had hours before been trying to kill her like that, but she smiled back anyway.

"How are you feeling?" DG asked awkwardly, sitting on the bed next to her older sister. Azkadellia pushed herself up on her elbows.

"Fine, now." She trailed off, looking as though she didn't know what to say. "You know, I'm…I think we should—"she started.

"I know," DG said gently. She understood, and the trepidation she had still felt melted away. She was back with her sister.

Pulling her close, DG heard Azkadellia say in a muffled voice, "I don't know what to do. How can I ever fix this?"

"We'll find a way," said a soft voice at the door. Both sisters looked up to see their parents entering the room. "But you must rest first, my dear," the Queen continued, seating herself on the bed as well.

"There's nothing wrong, Mother, I'm fine," Azkadellia said hurriedly, wiping her eyes. "It's time for me to repair the damage I've done." She squared her shoulders and looked expectantly up at her parents. The last thing she wanted was for her mother and father to think she was going to shrink away from her responsibility.

"We understand that, Az, but you've been touched by very dark magic. You need time and rest before anything else," Ahamo said. Az's face fell despite the small feeling of warmth she had felt at her father's renewed use of her nickname.

"We will fix this, darling," the Queen said, drawing her daughters in to her.


	2. Chapter 1

Regardless of how she may have felt, a week later Azkadellia rode at the head of the royal party next to her sister. The princesses were flanked by Jeb and Wyatt Cain, and as the Queen had promised in a message she had sent to Central City to be redistributed through the Outer Zone, the royal family was beginning its tour of the entire Zone, surveying and setting it on its road to repair.Her message had also established her reinstatement as Queen and Ahamo's as Prince Consort.

The two princesses were struggling to renew their friendship; DG was ready to forgive Azkadellia from the moment she saw her face when they came to the fields of the Pahpay. They had dismounted at once and located the one tree that DG had restored. Following Tutor's instruction and taking her sister's hand, Azkadellia placed her other on a branch of the tree while DG knelt and pressed her palm flat to the dry, cracked earth. As the magic tingled and coursed through their linked hands, she felt a soft wetness form under her hand. DG smiled as she opened her eyes and saw the beginnings of grass springing up all around them. Suddenly, the whole desolate area looked alive, as though it was just now waking from a long sleep.

And, though Azkadellia had paled slightly, she had showed no reaction to having used her magic. So, everywhere they had gone on their tour, the same pattern followed. They would stop simply to check on the area and provide plans for long-term support, but Az would insist upon doing something to help immediately, much to her parents' chagrin. But they had long since given up on trying to stop her; the Queen knew how Azkadellia must have felt, and said that perhaps it was best if she sorted through it on her own. This also was another factor in the princesses' reuniting; the more DG saw her sister suffer for what she had done, the more she welcomed her back. The two had had many conversations about Azkadellia forgiving herself, and though she understood where DG was coming from, and how much she should, Az could not. Every burned field, every family missing a father, every half-demolished home reminded her of her own weakness.

Now, nearly a year after the Double Eclipse, the royal family had ended their tour in Finaqua. All of DG's friends were long gone; Ambrose was back to himself, making it nearly impossible for DG to spend time with him. Cain and Jeb, who were eventually coming back, though no one seemed to know when, were gone on a diplomatic mission in the East, and Raw had taken Kalm with him back to the Viewers ages since. It was not until after a month in Finaqua though, that DG felt truly alone.

Azkadellia was finally showing the strain she had held at bay for almost a year. And, though Az didn't know it, her sister often heard her tossing and turning, talking in her sleep, via the door that connected their two rooms.

One morning, her parents were in conference with Ambrose, and DG was coming back from an unescorted walk in the gardens. Strictly speaking, she shouldn't have gone off on her own, but Azkadellia was sleeping late, so she had nothing to do. No one had caught her, she reasoned with herself—at least, so she had thought. A hand descended on her shoulder as she dropped into a chaise on the patio.

"Should you be going out by yourself?" asked a serious voice. DG whipped her head around so quickly her neck cricked.

Massaging it, she half-laughed. "Don't _do_ that, Az!" Azkadellia smiled teasingly at her. She was still in her nightclothes, holding a green silk, floor-length robe over her shoulders. "Weren't you sleeping late?"

Az shrugged. "I was. I got bored. Let me sit," she added, nodding at the chaise. DG moved over as her sister lowered herself next to her. Az leaned back and closed her eyes. "It's nicer out here, anyway. What are we doing today?"

"There's one more piece of land to check up on in this area. Mother and Father are letting us go on our own—with the usual entourage of thousands."

Az smiled. "I suppose I could get dressed," she said, glancing down at her robe.

"Why not?" DG grinned. She stood immediately, but had to help her sister to her feet. It took Azkadellia a moment to steady herself, and DG instantly felt a wave of fear crash over her.

"Az?" But then, the momentary loss of composure was gone, and Azkadellia swept inside, DG trailing after her.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

The small riding party made their final stop outside a tiny farmhouse. Azkadellia and DG dismounted as the inhabitants emerged and bowed before the princesses and their escorts, three palace guards and Ambrose. A small girl let go of her father's hand to present both princesses with bouquets of wildflowers, but watched Azkadellia warily until she was safely behind her father again. DG was certain only she noticed the momentary flicker of pain on her sister's face as she watched the little girl.

"Your Highnesses, Your Excellency," the farmer said, bowing again. "I am Lorean Heydorn, and this is my wife, Amila, and our daughter, Kayda. We have lived here on the shores of Finaqua for many annuals, and were happy to see all of you return safely." Good, DG thought. This man seemed to understand what happened with the sorceress, and DG tried to communicate her thoughts to her older sister without words, touching her wrist surreptitiously instead. "If you please, we would be honored to present to you our reconstruction efforts of the last year."

"Please, Mr. Heydorn," DG said, taking Az's part when her sister gave no immediate response. When the family had turned their back, she slid her arm through Azkadellia's and nudged her, but Az simply shook her head and walked forward. "Are you all right?" DG demanded.

"I'm fine, just walk, all right?" Azkadellia snapped. DG fell silent, but watched her sister cagily.

After nearly two hours of following Lorean's family around their farm, DG suddenly realized just how much of Azkadellia's weight she seemed to be supporting. She threw Ambrose a meaningful glance and jerked her chin towards her sister, who was talking to Amila. Ambrose nodded.

"I really do apologise, Highnesses, but I believe it's time for us to return," he said in a stuffy voice.

"Of—of course," Lorean said. "I—we did not mean to keep you here so long, forgive me."

"Not at all, we are glad for you and your family," DG said, keeping a firm grip on Azkadellia's arm as they walked. "And please, if you—"

"Whoa," Ambrose said, halting and immediately dropping his royal demeanor. "What happened?" he asked, his eyes widening as he took in what he saw. Before them lay a tremendous stretch of land, carved neatly from the rows of orchards and cornstalks as though it were intentional, but blackened and burnt beyond recognition. Charred rocks and black earth were all that lay before them.

"Oh," Azkadellia whispered. DG inhaled sharply.

"I—ah, had not intended for you to see this," Lorean said, looking embarrassed and strained. "When Finaqua was restored to us, some spots of land were harder to replant than others. Nothing I have tried has yet worked on this area, but I am hopeful, perhaps in the next annual or so," he continued, twisting his hands nervously.

"Sir, this is exactly the sort of situation the Royal Family can provide financial aid for," Ambrose said happily. Lorean looked at him curiously. "I can arrange for money from the government to be provided for the replenishment of your land. If you are interested, you may—" He was cut off by Azkadellia.

"My sister and I can resolve your problem immediately. We encountered similar problems in the north and brought the fields of the Pahpay back to life. This is hardly anything next to those," she said, stepping forward.

"No way, Az," DG hissed under her breath. "I won't do it, Ambrose can take care of it, leave it be—"

"Please, Deeg?" Azkadellia whispered back. There was real sadness in her eyes. "This is nothing, we've done more—"

"And _then_ you weren't about to fall over from exhaustion," DG snapped, still whispering.

"Please," was all Azkadellia could say. DG sighed and looked at Ambrose, who bit his lip and looked away uncomfortably. Lorean and his family's hopeful faces—DG knew they really needed what even this small parcel of land could provide.

She sighed again. "All right—but let _me_ do the work here—don't concentrate too hard, and then we're going straight home. Got it?" Az nodded happily. DG turned back to the farmer. "Yes, we would be more than happy to help you," she said through gritted teeth.

"I—Your Highnesses," Lorean stumbled over his words. "Thank you—thank you so much." Both princesses gave him a nod, and then turned to face the vast space of dead earth before them.

DG took her sister's hand and hissed, "Don't do anything stupid." Azkadellia smirked, and DG seethed on the inside. Her renewed compassion for her sister made it unbearable to watch Az kill herself—which is exactly what she's doing here, DG thought angrily. She shot daggers at her sister for putting the pair of them in such a situation. Az was unfazed.

Hoping very much that Az felt stronger than she looked, DG took another deep breath and pressed her hand to the ground, indicating that her sister should do the same. The silver light flowed familiarly between their linked hands, and suddenly the ground began to feel less dry. Green shoots sprang up where the princesses' palms had touched the earth, and DG smiled widely. She and her sister stood slowly. Well—that hadn't been so bad, DG thought.

"Princess!" Ambrose shouted, lunging forward. Azkadellia had dropped onto her knees, holding herself. "No—water, please, get some water," he said to Amila. The woman dashed back to the house, her daughter close behind her.

"M'all right," Azkadellia mumbled as she leaned against Ambrose, eyes closed. "Get me up," she said to DG. DG hesitated, but put one arm around Az's middle and managed to get her to her feet.

"May we sit in your house for a moment, please?" DG asked Lorean. The terrified farmer nodded, and DG and Ambrose half-carried Azkadellia to the tiny home.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

An hour after sunset, the Queen paced her upper floor balcony, watching the gate for signs of her daughters' return. She sighed impatiently again.

"They'll be home soon," said a voice behind her. Ahamo approached his wife and put his arms around her.

"They were supposed to be back hours ago," she answered, still worried.

"Ambrose is with them, and so are two of Captain Cain's best tin men," Ahamo reminded her. "They're safe, I'm sure."

"Then _what_ could be keeping them?" his wife demanded. As if in answer, there was a clatter of hooves in the courtyard below. Ahamo and the Queen rushed from the room and down the sweeping staircase in time to see DG and Ambrose holding up a barely-conscious Azkadellia. Their mother opened her mouth in alarm, but DG cut her off.

"I'll explain, Mother, but she needs to be in bed, and we need a healer," she said, taking her sister's full weight as Ambrose turned and mounted his horse again, to find a healer in the nearby town. Ahamo nodded once and lifted his oldest daughter as though she were nothing more than a doll, and the Queen took DG's arm, leading her up the stairs after them.

"I couldn't make her stop, Mother, I'm so sorry—"

"It's not your fault, my darling," the Queen assured her daughter yet again. DG and her parents stood outside Azkadellia's bedchamber, waiting.

"Majesties," the healer, a man by the name of Myro, emerged from the room at long last. "May I have a word?"

"Yes, of course," the Queen said. She and Ahamo went down the hall with the healer, to the study. "DG, will you stay with your sister?"

DG nodded and went in, walking slowly to her sister's bedside. She sank into a chair and looked at Az.

Her eyes opened and she looked at DG. Then she winced and put a hand to her side. "Ow," she said, smiling slightly anyway. "What happened?"

DG fought hard not to be overly harsh. "You—passed out," she said. "And we won't be doing any magic together for a while," she added. This was her own security measure. "I won't let you."

"You won't let me?" Azkadellia smirked. "I was just overtired today. It's not a problem."

"As a matter of fact, your sister is right," the healer said, returning. "You're to stay in bed until I am satisfied you are—"

"There's nothing wrong!" Az said loudly, starting to sit up.

DG pushed her back as their mother came to the bed and took her older daughter's hand. "Please, my darling," she said, eyes bright. "Please."

Azkadellia looked angrily from one face to the next. They wanted her to give up. How could they ask it of her? Finally, she gave one sharp nod, then turned on to her side and shut her eyes. The Queen looked sad and stricken. Ahamo squeezed her hand as she stood. "We'll show you out," he said to Myro. "Come along, DG," he added to his daughter.

Reluctantly, DG left, with one last glance at her sister. That night was the first that Azkadellia began to have the nightmares.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

At the end of the tunnel, a dull glimmer catches her eye. All she can hear is her own breathing and the pounding of her heart. She begins to follow the glittering speck, walking forward down the narrow corridor ahead of her. As she walks, the path moves uphill, and she forces herself to keep going. The glow is becoming brighter—and then she hears a voice. _Azkadellia…help me…you must help me. _She puts on a burst of speed and comes out of the narrowest part of the tunnel and is facing a wall of bluish-white—is it even solid? A face flashes behind it for a moment, but as she steps forward, a loud, piercing screech echoes around the cavern. Something heavy hits her in the face and begins scratching, biting, flapping its—wings?—in her face. She feels long claws pierce her skin and starts to scream.

Now someone is shaking her, shouting her name. "Az! Azkadellia!" DG's voice rang out louder than either Azkadellia or the madly screeching creature attacking her, whose cries were now fading into the darkness.

"Az—stop—ow!" DG said. "Stop!" she shouted, pinning her sister's arms to her sides. Azkadellia opened her eyes. It was dark out—the middle of the night, surely—but there was a light on in her room, and DG was sitting next to her on the bed. She sat up slowly, feeling dizzy and sick.

"I think I—" Az began, but was cut off as she leaned over the end of the bed and relieved her stomach into the basin put there by the healer earlier. She picked up a handkerchief from her bedside table and wiped her mouth shakily as she sat up again. "Why are you here?" she asked DG, half-annoyed.

"I'm sorry—I heard you talking—I couldn't sleep, and then…" DG trailed off, looking embarrassed.

"And then what?" Az demanded, feeling her face redden.

"You sounded scared, and then you started screaming, so I ran in and tried to wake you up," DG said, getting annoyed as well. "I was only trying to help," she added.

Azkadellia scowled. Then, her expression softened. She dropped back onto her pillows and sighed. "I know, " she said quietly.

"Do you want to--?" DG started.

"No." Azkadellia cut her off. "I'll be fine," she said, closing her eyes and starting to drift back to sleep. "Fine…" she repeated as DG stood. DG sighed and took the basin and washed its contents down the drain of Azkadellia's bathtub, then returned it to its original position.

She turned off the light, but stopped at the connecting door as she left, and turned to face her sister. Azkadellia's form looked especially frail in the moonlight that drained everything in the room of its colour. Her cheeks seemed even more hollowed, and her bones more pronounced, than they had been since she fainted at the poor farmer's home that afternoon. DG knew it was a trick of the light, but nonetheless resolved herself then—if the healers could not find what it was that was hurting her sister so, she would.

The nightmares persisted for the next several weeks. Azkadellia's constantly interrupted sleep forced her to sleep in increasingly brief intervals whenever she could. Now, DG had no company on long days while her parents worked. Most meals, too, Az had begun to ignore—DG had made a point of being in her sister's rooms when the food was delivered, but even if DG could get her to have something, Azkadellia usually just ended up being sick an hour or two later.

On one afternoon, after she had sat in on one of her mother's audiences, she was walking through the garden. As she emerged onto the verandah from the rose garden, she glanced up at Az's window out of habit. The curtain was closed—that was unusual—Azkadellia only ever closed the curtains when she was dressing, and she hadn't worn anything but nightclothes for a long time. Just as she thought that she should go up and check on her sister, someone slipped their hands over DG's eyes.

"Hey!" she cried out, her hands flying up immediately.

"Sorry, Princess," said Jeb Cain's voice, laughing as he released her and she turned around.

"You're back!" she said happily, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him close. Jeb hugged her back, and when he finally released her, neither could stop smiling.

"So how was it?" DG asked.

"Everything seems to be just fine in the Eastern Mountains. The Munchkans sent gifts, my father has them," Jeb answered.

"Where is he?" DG asked a little too quickly, looking around.

"Inside with your parents, giving a report."

"And shouldn't you be in there?" she asked slyly, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe," Jeb said carelessly, dropping down on the bench by the manicured hedge. "He doesn't need me at the moment though, so I thought I might come find my favourite princess," he added.

DG blushed and sat down next to him. "Well, captain, I can tell you that things are ship-shape around here," she said in tones of mock seriousness.

"Pleased to know it, Your Highness," he said pompously. "Hey now…" said Jeb slowly, looking around. "Where's Azkadellia? I'd like to see her." He was more surprised by the look on DG's face when he turned back to face her. "DG? Is something wrong?"

DG didn't know what to say. "Az is…" she was spared the trouble of answering by a sound coming from behind them, a soft ticking noise that made them both look around. Azkadellia was in a wheelchair, wearing a long, dark red dress that looked so loose on her DG was amazed that it had once fit her. _Once—a few weeks ago,_ DG thought. Her maid, Alora, pushed her out onto the verandah as Jeb and DG stood, the former looking even more shocked than the latter. Azkadellia looked tired, but nonetheless smiled at Jeb happily. He seemed to force himself to move, bowing and taking her hand, barely disguising his surprise.

"Princess," he said, smiling. He glanced furtively at Alora—no one else really knew how informal he usually was around the princesses, whom he had adopted as his siblings. Understanding immediately, Az gestured to Alora, who curtsied and left at once. Az watched her go, then turned back to Jeb and DG.

"Good," she said. "Here, Deeg, help me up." She put out one arm to her sister, using the other to push herself out of the chair. Leaning on DG, Az made her way to the bench. "It's wonderful to see you, Jeb, we've really missed you," she said, sitting down carefully, as if the slightest movement caused her pain.

"It's wonderful to be back," he answered. "I missed everyone here too, even though it was great spending time with my father." Jeb, too, sat down. DG was pointedly avoiding his gaze. Jeb glanced at the abandoned wheelchair, then back at Azkadellia. "Az…are you all right?" he asked bluntly, but with a concerned tone nonetheless.

Azkadellia delicately crossed her ankles. "I'm perfectly fine, I've just been feeling a little off-colour," she said mildly, though there was a distinct edge to her voice. Jeb was utterly nonplussed, and was about to speak again when DG shook her head very slightly, looking at the ground. He closed his mouth.

"What news do you have from the East?" Azkadellia asked, after several more silent moments.

"Ah, well…" and Jeb launched into explanations of the Restoration and aid being provided for the Munchkans. Azkadellia sat back, half-listening. DG immediately asked a few questions about Wyatt Cain, but Jeb seemed not to notice anything in her eager tone. She smiled at the obliviousness of the Cain men, and breathed deeply, enjoying the sunshine. In her present state of mind, she even found it possible to be optimistic about—

"Azkadellia?" The three friends looked around. The Queen was approaching, followed closely by Ahamo, Ambrose, and Cain. DG saw a look of pain flicker over Ambrose's face as he surveyed the scene, but it passed quickly. "My darling, you should not—oh, hello, Captain Cain," she said, extending her hand as Jeb and stood. Azkadellia turned to face the scene.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness," he said, bowing low to both the Queen and Ahamo. DG gave Cain a small wave, which he returned with a wink.

"I am glad to hear of your safe journey," the Queen said kindly. "You and your father shall dine with us this evening."

"Thank you, Majesty," said Jeb.

"And now, perhaps, you'd like to freshen up?" asked the Queen graciously.

Jeb glanced momentarily at his friends, but looked away quickly. "I…that would be nice, thank you. Excuse me," he said, bowing again, this time to all four royals. Cain followed suit with another look at DG in her white sundress, and the two went upstairs as DG looked sadly after them.

"DG, your mother and I need to speak with you," Ahamo said to her. The Queen looked at her husband for a moment, until Azkadellia started to stand up with her sister.

"No, Azkadellia, you stay here with Ambrose," she said. Az nodded, looking questioningly after DG. Her sister shrugged and followed their parents back into the Great Hall of Finaqua.

"May I sit, Princess?" Ambrose asked, stepping forward. Azkadellia smiled.

"How many times have I asked you to call me Az, Ambrose? You always used to," she added, carefully disguising the bitterness in her voice. Ambrose had already forgiven her—too readily, certainly—but since the replacement of his brain, no longer did he seem to be able to see her beyond her title.

"Oh, you know…" Ambrose trailed off, looking out over the lake. "A few times." He looked back at her as she gave a tight smile.

She stood with difficulty, and moved over to the edge of the verandah that led to the lake, leaning on the marble pillars. Ambrose stood and followed her. They stood in silence for a few moments; she suddenly realised that she was standing in the exact spot she had been when she had ordered her dear friend's life completely torn apart. Her eyes filled slowly, and a tear dropped down Azkadellia's face.

"Az?" Ambrose asked worriedly. "What—what is it?"

Her fragile form shook as she began to really cry; Ambrose put an arm around her, and she accepted his support back to the bench.

"I've—I've r-r-ruined the OZ—I kn-now that's w-w-why I—I'm b-being p-punished," she gasped, drawing shuddering breaths that made her whole body tremble. Azkadellia was finally letting everything out now, and who could be better to listen than her oldest friend? "I c-c-c-can't stop th-thinking ab-bout it—all the d-d-dreadful things I d-did—I d-dream ab-bout it all—all the t-t-time. N-none of the p-p-people t-t-trust me—and-and w-why sh-should they? I've already p-proven I'm w-w-weak and useless—"

"No," Ambrose said in a forceful voice, startling Azkadellia. _Oh, where is DG?,_ he thought desperately. "Azkadellia, were you watching the faces of the people, just in Finaqua alone, as you rode through and offered your help? Not the royal family's, _yours_? Certainly, they were nervous at first, but when they saw your real, genuine soul, they accepted you—I have every reason to believe they've forgiven you. You aren't being punished by anyone other than yourself. To these people, you are once again their Princess, not the Witch, and they know because they trust the Queen. Anyone who doesn't see the beautiful, smart, wonderful person I know—" Ambrose stopped himself, looking completely mortified. Azkadellia's openness had caused him to forget his position. She looked back at him with a strange expression—was it hope?

"What I mean is, Princess," Ambrose said, now positively glowing red, "that you aren't weak because of something you had no control over as a child, and even less control as you became older. But I think that perhaps you need to forgive yourself before you can recognise the old love that—the OZ—has found again for you."

Azkadellia shook her head, looking more discouraged than ever. "Perhaps I'd better go inside—it's getting late—I don't think that I'll join you all for dinner this evening after all," she said quietly. Ambrose helped her to her unsteady feet and into her wheelchair, then pushed her into the Great Hall, where Alora met her. Ambrose did not say good night as the Princess ascended the stairs on her maid's arm, without a glance back.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

A hooded figure lurks at the end of the tunnel, beckoning—or warning her to stay away? Then, someone is screaming and she tries to run, but too late. She is hit from behind and falls to the earth, the hard rock floor's scent filling her nose.

On a gray but rainless day, several weeks later, DG rode through the tiny town on the far edge of Finaqua. This was the best place for low prices on everything from produce to clothing, and she normally came here with Azkadellia and Nathan, their guard. Azkadellia had not left her room for nearly a week, though, so it was DG and Nathan, as well as Jeb and his father; they had seen DG saddling Calaise, and offered to come as company and extra protection.

As they rode through the arch that marked the beginning of the marketplace, DG spotted a fruit stand with an enormous pile of firefruit. It was Az's favourite, DG remembered. Maybe she would eat this. She had felt guilty leaving her sister for the day, and decided to bring her a gift, in addition to some sustenance. She motioned to Nathan, and dismounted to approach the stall. The squat vendor nearly fell over as he recognised the princess, though she was in her most casual outfit.

"How much for five, please?" DG asked, gesturing to the pile of firefruit.

"N-nothing, Your Highness," the man stammered. Nonetheless, DG pressed three large silver coins—more than it probably cost—into his hand, and accepted the four largest, greenest, and sweetest-looking fruits. Smiling, she crossed the street back to Nathan, Cain, and Jeb, tossing them each a fruit as they dismounted as well.

"Thanks," Cain and Jeb said in unison. Nathan nodded his gratitude as well and began biting into his. Jeb started walking a short ways, examining some of the other stalls. DG and Cain stood for a moment, DG blushing under his steady gaze as she placed the extra fruit in her saddlebag. She turned and surveyed the rest of the street. There were indoor stores, as well as small stalls just like the one in front of her. Tiny alleyways branched off the main road, leading to the more domestic areas of the town. She took another bite of firefruit, and walked a short ways past the fruit stand. As DG turned back again, someone seized her upper arm and whirled her around. She dropped the firefruit in surprise.

"Hey!" a voice shouted. In seconds, her three guards were all around DG, their pistols pointed at a cowering, ragged-looking woman; at least, DG thought it was a woman. The hood she wore covered her eyes. She was moaning; her voice sounded as though she had not used it for years.

"Please—please," the woman rasped, showing uneven, pointed yellow teeth. She did not look up, and seemed to be addressing the ground, rather than the armed soldiers directly in front of her. "I meant no harm. I wanted the princess to see my—my trinkets…" the woman gestured at an odd assortment of objects, lying haphazardly on a moth eaten blanket. DG glimpsed a kettle, split in half, a few moldy-looking rags; there were also several large crystalline rocks that littered the shores of Finaqua, but nothing of value. The "shop" was set up at the mouth of an alley; the woman had apparently been sitting on the blanket. DG was alarmed—this situation brought up horrible memories.

"No, no thank you," she said, backing away. The woman moved impossibly fast, lunging for DG's arm, and managed to wrench her forward, forcing something into her hand.

"I've been waiting," the woman managed to hiss before Nathan and Cain forced her off and Jeb seized DG, thrusting her behind him. Glancing down into her palm as the woman scurried down the alleyway, she saw that she held a necklace—a heavy locket on a silver chain.

"Princess, you're bleeding," Nathan said, pointing. DG snapped her head up, quickly hid the necklace in her pocket and looked at her arm, where the woman had grabbed her. Three spots of blood were blossoming onto her white blouse, where the woman's fingernails had been. It occurred to DG then that it hurt. She swore internally, then began to roll up her sleeve.

"Here, let me," Cain said, pulling a roll of gauze from his saddlebag. He wiped the three cuts with something that he pulled from his bag, which stung quite a bit, then tied a thin layer of gauze over the wound. "Good as new," he said, still holding her arm. DG smiled.

"Thanks," she said, not breaking her gaze.

"We should return to the Palace, Your Highness," Nathan said, already atop his horse, and smirking in an all-too-superior manner. Cain dropped DG's hand instantly, and the two climbed onto their horses. DG glanced behind momentarily as they left. The woman was watching her from the alleyway. DG could see two gleaming eyes in the darkness just under the hood.

She had seen DG looking. The eyes flashed and she disappeared back into the shadows. DG shuddered and spurred Calaise forward, next to Jeb, anxious to go home.

_She has the message, my mistress._

"Excellent work, my pet," a cold voice cooed, throwing the beast a bone she conjured from midair. "Watch them closely, now."


	7. Chapter 6

Thanks to my wonderful reviewers, KLCtheBookWorm, greenriverkillerfan, and all the rest of you. Here's a special treat, I hope you like it.

--Fae

* * *

Chapter Six

Late that night, DG sat up in her bed, with the lamp on next to her. She was fingering the locket, examining it closely. No one knew about it; she hadn't told her parents, Cain, or Ambrose, and no one with her had seen her receive or pocket it. DG kept hearing the woman's horrible voice, and her words. _I've been waiting_…was the woman simply insane? No, DG told herself, she couldn't be. She seemed perfectly aware when she was watching me. She shuddered again and touched the bandage on her arm delicately with her fingertips. Where had she gotten the locket, then? DG wondered. Why did she give it to me?

Do I need this? DG turned it over yet again, and tried to open it. Nothing. She could see the hinge, and the crease where the tarnished silver split, but the locket would not open. As she moved to put the necklace in the drawer next to her bed, something caught her eye. DG squinted, holding the locket within an inch of her nose. There was an engraved mark that had escaped her notice before. A diamond, with a cross through it. She ran her fingertip over it. Something about the mark made the back of DG's neck prickle. She stood and walked to the door that connected hers and Azkadellia's rooms, pulling on her robe. She knocked quietly. There was no answer. Maybe Az is asleep, DG thought. DG turned back—Az needed as much uninterrupted sleep as she could get. The locket in her hand caught the light suddenly, flashing the mark up at her. No…it was just too eerie, it couldn't wait. She opened the door.

Azkadellia was lying on a chaise by the window, asleep. She obviously had been looking out at the moon over the lake. She looked more peaceful now than DG had seen her in weeks, and again she hesitated in waking her. As DG turned back again, however, Az spoke.

"Deeg? Is that you?" she asked sleepily. She switched on a light next to her.

"Hey," DG answered. Perhaps it was the light, or the fact that she had spent time away from her sister, but DG realised just how tired and sick her sister looked. Her stomach clenched unpleasantly. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Az said. "I was able to sleep most of the day. You didn't come in when you came back today," she added.

"No, I know, you were asleep," DG said. She noticed Az shiver. She picked up a blanket from the end of the bed. "Can I sit? It's freezing." Azkadellia smiled gratefully and moved slightly as DG pulled the blanket over them both.

"How was town—wait, DG, what is that?" Az demanded suddenly, pointing at DG's arm, which was exposed as she sat back.

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about," DG replied. "When we were in town today, the weirdest thing happened." And she told her sister the whole story, without excluding the locket, as she had with her parents. "See, this is what she stuffed in my hand. Look at the back," she said, holding it out. Az took the locket and turned it over with narrowed eyes that widened suddenly in shock.

"Do Mother and Father know about this?" she asked sharply.

"Well, they know about what happened, but no one else knows about the necklace," DG said. "Why—?"

"You mean you don't know what this is?" Azkadellia asked, holding up the locket. DG shook her head. Az bit her lip. "Are they still awake?"

"I'm not sure," her sister said.

"Look outside, tell me if you see a light in the office."

DG poked her head out the door. Despite the lateness of the hour, she heard voices coming from her parents' shared office. It sounded as though Ambrose was there, too. Good, she thought, shutting the door again. She walked quickly back to Az. "They're in there."

"Good, pass me my robe," Azkadellia said.

DG hesitated, but handed it to her. "What's that mark?"

"I'll explain in a minute," her sister promised. Az started to stand up, but was unable to balance. She looked up momentarily at DG, who supported her out of the room and across the hall. Az knocked on the door with her free hand. Ambrose answered, momentarily stunned by the apparition of the two princesses in their dressing gowns.

"I need to see my mother," Azkadellia said harshly. Ambrose, too, seemed somewhat taken aback by her tone, but stepped back to admit them. He, Ahamo, and the Queen had been seated around a carved oak table. Papers littered the surface.

"Azkadellia, my darling, you should be in bed," the Queen said, rising as she saw DG helping her sister into a chair.

"Mother, DG has something else to tell you about today," Az said, catching her breath and moving one hand to her aching side. DG stared at her. "Tell them," Azkadellia insisted.

Uncertainly, DG told the part of her experience that she had earlier passed over: how the woman had hissed in her ear and crammed the locket into her hand.

"DG, why didn't you tell us?" the Queen asked. DG opened her mouth, but Az interrupted.

"It's not her fault, Mother, she didn't recognise this," she said, holding out the locket. "Look at the back. The mark."

The Queen took it, examining it closely. She raised her eyebrows. "Ahamo."

Her husband stepped forward and looked at the locket's back. "That's…Galatea's mark," he said slowly.

Ambrose looked as well. "But, Galatea's been gone from the OZ for nearly twenty-five annuals."

"Or so we thought," Ahamo said, seating himself next to his elder daughter.

DG still stood behind her sister, arms crossed. "Excuse me, who?" she asked.

"You don't remember? Perhaps you were too young, the last time you heard the story," the Queen said. DG cleared her throat, annoyed. "Galatea was another sorceress—unlike the Black Witch in every way. She was kind, and used her powers for the betterment of the OZ. But twenty-five annuals ago, she vanished, with no word and no warning. Many believe her to be dead, but no one knows for sure."

"So what does _that_ mean?" DG asked, pointing at the locket in Ahamo's hand.

"It means," Ambrose said, "that she's back in the OZ."

"The question is, why?" Azkadellia added.

"Have you opened this, DG?" Ahamo asked.

DG shook her head. "It's sealed."

"With magic, no doubt," Ahamo continued, sighing.

"We should open it, Deeg," Az said.

DG looked at her incredulously. "Great idea."

"It's the only way we'll know why Galatea needs to speak to you." To both princesses' surprise, it was their mother that spoke. "But please, Az, be careful. Please," she said, her eyes full of worry. Azkadellia nodded.

"Come here, DG." She held out her hand. DG didn't move. "Nothing can hurt us if we stay together, right?" Az asked, smiling gently.

DG nodded, feeling sick with herself, and slipped her hand into her sister's. Ahamo passed her the necklace, and the two began to control the light within them, focusing it on the locket. DG felt Az's hand clench; her sister was in pain. Then, before she could react, the necklace burned white-hot in her palm, and she dropped it as Azkadellia relinquished her grip and doubled over, trying not to be sick.

"Oh, Az—" DG began, kneeling next to Az.

"Look," her sister said through her teeth. She pointed at the locket, which lay on the carpet, and had a faint, eerie glow emanating from it. DG reached for it as Ahamo and the Queen helped Azkadellia to steady herself, holding her up; she was pale and shaking. Ambrose dithered on the spot for a moment, then went to pour a glass of water.

DG was now fingering the suddenly cool locket. The seal had been broken, but nothing had happened. Wait, she thought. The mark on the back was different. It was darker, and no longer engraved. It stood out the minutest amount from the tarnished surface. As soon as her fingertip brushed the bump, the locket sprang open in her palm. The image of a woman rose up out of it. DG was reminded of the way in which her mother had left her message hidden in Finaqua.

"Look!" DG cried. She held her palm out flat and moved towards her parents.

Ambrose approached as well, passing the Queen the glass of water for Azkadellia, who was leaning on her mother's shoulder. "That's Galatea," he said, surprised.

The image began to speak. She was beautiful and had a young face, but with long silver hair, reaching almost to her waist. She seemed to shimmer in the grey silk dress she wore.

"Hello Azkadellia, Dorothy," she said in a soft voice. "I am sorry for what this exertion must have cost you, Azkadellia. Believe me that it was necessary, to prevent tampering with my message. You both know that I have long since been gone from the Outer Zone, for reasons beyond my control. Now it is time for me to return, and I need Dorothy—DG's help. I know of your defeat of the Black Witch Cania, and though I am proud of you both, I have also heard of Azkadellia's failing health. You perhaps know already that it is the effect of the Witch's possession making you ill. What you perhaps may not know is that a piece of Cania still lives inside her, a small part that, without my help, will slowly kill her. I am sorry to be so blunt, but there is no other way to put it."

The Queen grasped Azkadellia's white hand and put her other arm around her daughter's shoulders.

"Now I come to DG's part in this. What I need to return and be able to help you is the same thing that will save Azkadellia's life. The Avernal Crystals in the Northern Mines are a powerful restorative, and they will successfully bring me back to the Outer Zone. I have succeeded in transporting an imprint of myself to the OZ, which is how I intend to obtain the Crystal. DG, if you will come in one week to the connecting mine in the Kyrrhe Mountains, and bring a Crystal, I will be able to return with you and save your sister.

"If all goes well, I will see you at midnight in seven days' time. I will know when you receive this. Consider this your first midnight." The image flickered and vanished as the clocks all over the palace struck twelve.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

The entire room stared at the locket lying open in DG's palm. Azkadellia's face was like a mask. The Queen, shaken but resolute, stood and faced Ambrose. "We need General and Captain Cain," she said. DG looked up at her in surprise. Ambrose bowed and left.

"What?" DG asked.

"If you only have six more midnights to get to the Kyrrhe Mountains, you need to leave quickly. The situation will only get worse the longer we wait." The Queen glanced at Azkadellia, who was leaning against her father. "Can you stand, my darling?" Az nodded, and Ahamo half-lifted her into a standing position. "Good. Ahamo, please see to it that she gets into bed immediately, and find Myro if you can," the Queen said. She held her daughter's hand for a moment. "I will be in shortly." Az nodded again, her mouth tightly shut, as she left with her father.

"It'll be all right," DG whispered as her sister passed. The door closed behind them. Now it was just DG and her mother. The Queen strode over to the bookshelves that lined the room, and pulled down a particularly heavy tome. Fanning through the pages quickly, she opened it to a map of the Outer Zone. Under each region's label, DG saw, was a small picture. FINAQUA had a lake, FIELDS OF THE PAHPAY had a tiny cluster of Balkharnovix, the flowers that the queen so loved, and right below the label, KYRRHE MOUNTAINS, was a strangely shaped flower. No, wait. DG looked more closely. It was a drawing of a crystal, shaped like an Avernal blossom, and it was here that the Queen pointed.

"The Kyrrhes are the foothills of the mountains where the Northern Island is found. They are an abandoned mining system of Bastium. The mines were closed when a greater profit was found in mining Moritainium." She flipped to another page. It was an inset of the Kyrrhes. "Here. This is the heart of the mines. They all meet in one area," the Queen said. "I'm sure this is where Galatea meant. This is the only place an Avernal Crystal has been found."

DG forced herself to speak. "All right." Her mother looked up at her sympathetically and hugged her.

"You can do this, my angel," the Queen said. DG nodded. The door opened, admitting Ambrose, Cain, and Jeb. The latter two were haphazardly dressed; Jeb still looked half-asleep, but DG was glad to see them. "Gentlemen, good. I need your help, as does DG." The lack of reaction to her informal use of DG's name assured the Queen she had picked the right men. "In six days' time, Galatea is going to attempt to return to the Outer Zone, and she needs DG's help. The Avernal Crystals in the Kyrrhe Mountains are what she needs, and she has charged DG to bring it to her. General Cain, Jeb, you are my best military personnel. Ambrose, you are my most trusted advisor; you know more about the Outer Zone than nearly anyone. All of you will accompany DG to obtain the Crystal and bring Galatea back. You leave at first light. Pack only what you can carry on horseback."

"If the four of us go, but five return, how will we bring Galatea back, Your Majesty?" Cain asked suddenly, as he reached the door.

"My daughter will ride with one of you, General," the Queen said lightly.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

In just a few short hours, DG was riding Calaise north, the midmorning sun warming her. Her mother had taken the maps of their destination from the book, and DG now had them in her pocket. She'd taken moments to pack—an extra shirt, bandages, though she hoped she wouldn't need them, and water. Despite her lack of sleep, she felt wide-awake, and was lost in thought. She didn't even notice when Cain drew right up next to her.

"Princess."

DG started. "Oh—hi." She gave him a half-smile.

"Worried?" he asked quietly. He needn't have bothered; Jeb and Ambrose were far ahead.

"A little," DG sighed. "She looked bad, didn't she?"

Cain didn't answer. He didn't want to set DG on edge even further, but the truth was that Galatea was probably right. Azkadellia couldn't hold on much longer. That morning, after being briefed on the locket, and getting annoyed with DG for hiding it, Cain had accompanied her to say goodbye to Az. As he stood in the corner with his son and Ambrose, Cain saw an expression on Azkadellia's face that was worse than the pretense she'd maintained for so long: acceptance. Ahamo and the Queen both sat at their daughter's bedside. Her pale face was expressionless as DG hugged her, and promised that she would be all right. Cain and Jeb had both murmured some reassuring words as well.

Ambrose, however, kept making motions as though he wanted to say something, but then changed his mind. He finally settled on an awkward half-bow. As he did, Azkadellia's face fell and she closed her eyes. As the group of friends left the room, Cain bringing up the rear, the Queen had stood and approached him. She handed him a small, square pane of glass.

"Use this if you need to contact us. You should arrive at the Viewers' camp by the end of the day. They are expecting you—I sent a message ahead of you. They will be able to help you locate the Crystal if they can spare one of their own." Cain nodded and pocketed the glass. He bowed to the Queen and exited the room to the hall.

As he started down the hall, he was stopped by the sound of a small, muffled sob. DG was curled tightly in a corner, at the foot of a pillar. Cain had sat beside her for nearly a quarter of an hour, arms around her, as she cried. It was the first time he had seen her _not _in control of a situation, and it scared him. Wondering to himself what he could possibly have gotten into, with this young girl and what he found he frequently felt for her, he held her, stroking her hair as she cried into his jacket.

Now, hours into their journey, he remembered the glass. When the group stopped for water, Cain pulled it from his jacket pocket and passed it to a morose-looking, tense DG. "Hey, DG. Your mother gave me this," he said. "It's supposed to be able to reach her."

DG took it and slipped it in her own riding jacket's pocket. "Thanks," she said shortly. She was preoccupied, but not about her sister.

"Worrying isn't going to help anyone, kid," Cain said from where he lay in the sun, DG pacing back and forth above him.

"He's got a point, Princess. Take a seat for a minute," Ambrose added from his perch on a rock. DG complied, sitting beside Jeb and taking an apple he offered her. Something in Ambrose's face, though, told her that the Royal Advisor was quite as anxious as she.

"How far are we from the Viewers' camp?" Jeb asked his father, whose head was at the bottom of the rock where he and DG sat.

"Not too far," Cain sighed. There were a few more moments of silence. Then, rolling his eyes and brushing himself off, Cain stood up. "DG, if you're ready, we can start riding and be there by sunset."

She nodded mutely and stood. Maybe seeing Raw again would help her focus on the task at hand, and not the perfect man standing in front of her.

They reached the campsite of the Viewers at dusk, where Raw welcomed them gladly. They had eaten their fill, and now Cain, Jeb, and Ambrose were asleep in their tent. DG was the only person awake in the camp, or so she thought. Raw sat down beside her outside her tent.

"DG sad," he said in his low growl she had missed so much. She nodded, not looking at him. "Worried about Azkadee," Raw continued. DG nodded again, a lump rising in her throat. "Let Raw see," the viewer asked gently, and for a third time, DG nodded, blinking back tears. Raw put his paw on her hand. "Scared to lose Azkadee. Scared of things that might happen. Being alone. Oh—" he started, and DG pulled her arm away. Raw was not offended. He patted her soothingly. "DG will be all right. Raw is coming."

DG hugged him. "I'm glad," she said. He nodded and stood, starting to walk back to his own tent as DG resumed her gaze into the dying fire in front of her. _Scared of things that might happen_. That wasn't what DG had hoped for as far as an explanation for the growing feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. Nonetheless, as she crawled into her tent and lay down on the blankets, she hoped dearly that Raw hadn't seen _too_ much.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

By the end of their third day of travel (Raw had brought his own horse), they were at the very base of the foothills, and tensions were high. Jeb and his father had argued, their matching stubbornness clashing. Neither would say what it was they had fought over, but it must have been bad, Ambrose observed. Other than that, however, Ambrose was virtually silent, pensive and reserved. DG was annoyed ay this—he was not able to lighten her mood, of which Jeb and his father, in turn, received the full brunt. Raw was going haywire. All the different emotions made him grouchy.

As they ate in palpable silence that night, DG felt something in her pocket. She pulled it out, recognising it as the glass that her mother had given to Cain. She looked around at all the moody faces. "How about we check in back home?" she suggested, holding up the square. There was a general murmur of assent. Ambrose's head snapped to attention from where he sat across the fire. "Raw, would you help me, please?" DG asked him in a much gentler tone than she'd been using with Jeb, who glowered at her.

Raw took the glass in one paw and examined it for a moment. Then he took DG's hand. "Need DG's magic. Think of mother," he told her. DG nodded and closed her eyes. She felt the light inside her focus on the Queen's face. The glass pane began to glow in Raw's paw, and floated into the air, expanding into a cube. A soft "wow" from Ambrose caused DG to open her eyes. Tiny lights danced in the center of the rapidly growing cube, then morphed together and swam into focus. The Queen appeared.

"DG, my darling, are you safe?" she asked immediately.

"Mother," DG managed to choke out. Her voice was full of emotion at the relief of seeing her mother's face. "Yes, we're all fine. Raw is with us."

The Queen gave a strained smile to the Viewer. "Are you near the mines?" she asked DG.

"We begin climbing tomorrow, and possibly we'll be able to explore the area before it gets too dark, Your Majesty," Cain interjected.

"So soon?" the Queen asked hopefully. "That's—that's wonderful!"

"How is—the Princess?" Ambrose asked.

The Queen faltered. She looked next to her, at something only she could see, and Ahamo entered the square and stood next to his wife. "She's holding on," he said. "She knows help is coming."

"Can I see her? Please?" DG asked. Both her parents hesitated, but nonetheless turned their glass to face the bed they were obviously sitting by.

Azkadellia looked a hundred times worse than when the party had left Finaqua. She was awake, but not very alert, whispering to the ceiling she stared at with terrified eyes. Raw was reminded of his brief time in the witch's tower, when he had seen Azkadellia talk to her other personality. Az looked as though she hadn't slept since they left; heavy dark circles underlined her eyes, highlighting her chalk-white skin.

Tears slid down DG's face as Jeb put one hand on her back. Everyone in the circle was avoiding the sight of the princess, not sure of whether they were supposed to look or not. Only DG and Ambrose, who was staring with a transfixed look of horror on his face, saw the Queen and her husband come back into view.

"Oh, DG," Ahamo said, seeing his daughter wipe her face hurriedly. "We—we are doing all we can, believe me."

DG forced herself to regain composure. "I know," she said in a surprisingly strong voice. "It's going to be all right."

The Queen nodded, her eyes shining as her husband held her. "We will see you soon."

DG raised one hand in goodbye; the image in the glass slid out of focus and disappeared. The glass cube shrank immediately to its original size and flew back to DG's open hand.

The silence had intensified. It was screaming, suffocating them all with its weight.

DG, unable to bear it, cleared her throat. "I think I'll go to bed now."

"Sleep well, kiddo," Cain said as she passed him.

"How close are they, my pet?" she purred, stroking Ka's feathered head.

_I will go_, he answered. He took off from the peak outside their lookout.

"Soon enough," she said to no one but the mist of blue behind her.

Eventually, long after the fire had died, everyone had fallen asleep except Ambrose. He was stretched on his back, staring at the stars. The tiny pinpricks of light mirrored in his glassy, distant eyes. And in this vast, beautiful expanse of land, all he could think of was one person, and how that one person's eyes so perfectly reflected the moonlight. Azkadee, he thought. He couldn't lose her, not again. She could hate him for anything she wanted, she could never so much as glance at him again when they returned, it didn't matter. She just couldn't go again. The world would doubtlessly cease to turn, and reality would turn inside out. He understood that he had every right to hate her, but he couldn't. He had known her forever—loved her even longer. There's a thought, he told himself. Now why aren't you man enough to articulate it, Mister Royal Advisor? After lying in complete silence and stillness for an immeasurably long time, Ambrose at last heaved a sigh, and turned over onto his side. He promised himself then that if Azkadellia—_died—_without her knowing what lay in his heart, he would lock _himself _in a tin suit. At the very least.

An earsplitting screech rent the night air.

Ambrose's eyes snapped open and he leapt to his feet, as did Cain and Jeb. DG and Raw sat up, looking scared and confused. The scream sounded again, and all looked above their heads.

DG covered her ears. "What _is _that?" she screamed, getting to her feet too. An enormous animal flying high above them answered her question. It gave another piercing cry. It completed its circle above their clearing just as Cain drew his pistol. The creature soared higher as he fired two shots, missing it, and it disappeared into the night.

"What was that?" DG asked again.

Ambrose tried to relax. "I think it was just a Birdofprae," he said. "It must have gotten scared—or it was just on the hunt. It must have found something."

"Birdofpraes? I thought they were extinct…" Jeb said.

"No, but they almost are. That one must be a—a stray, probably," Ambrose answered, still watching the skies.

DG took a deep breath. "Right. Birdofprae." She was silent for a moment. "That was weird, though. I was dreaming about the Northern Island, and the mobats. It startled me, it sounded so similar."

"It was too big to be a mobat, DG," Cain told her reassuringly.

"Birdofpraes are still dangerous—didn't they help the Witch in that story you and Mom used to tell me?" Jeb asked his father. "You know, the first battle?"

"Jeb right," Raw said.

"Yep, they were created in the Outer Zone thousands of years ago," Ambrose confirmed. The conversation was becoming more relaxed as everyone started to sit down again; Cain still had out his gun as he tossed a few more sticks onto the embers.

"Wait—" DG said, eyes closed. "I remember a story like that—there were two dark witches, and one killed the other out of spite—then that witch was imprisoned when she lost the battle of light and dark to Glinda. Right?"

"Good memory," Cain commented. "Yeah, let's see…this is a standard Zone fairy tale. Cania—that's one of the witches—"

"And her sister, Philia," Ambrose said.

"Sister?" DG asked. "I don't remember that. There were two, though…" she shuddered. "Can you imagine?"

"Philia was never as powerful as Cania. Cania is the witch that we took care of," Cain said. "She killed her sister—pretty horrifyingly, if I remember right—before trying to take the whole Zone from Glinda, the White Witch, and Glinda's daughter."

"Galatea," DG said, comprehending.

"Right," Jeb told her.

"You know the rest of Cania's story. Glinda was long gone when she broke out—she was already known as an ancient when she first defeated Cania—and Galatea…well, Galatea vanished right about the same time Azk—Cania escaped. No one's seen or heard from her since," Cain finished. "Till now," he added. "Mobats were Cania's creation in her war against her sister, Birdofpraes were Philia's."

DG shivered, and her heart ached suddenly for her own sister. _Az saw all this through Cania's memory—killing her sister, the horrible monsters they created. It's terrifying to me, and I barely remember the story._ It surprised her now that she hadn't remembered more of Galatea before. She glanced around the now-silent campfire. Ambrose looked as though he were thinking along the same lines.

He spoke suddenly; his voice sounded dry. "If we want to make any headway tomorrow, we need to sleep." The others nodded their agreement, and one by one lay down to sleep.

DG's memory, now kicked into overdrive yet again, was driving her wild with images of her mother and the childhood Azkadellia she remembered telling her the story of the four witches. When Az had told her the story, so wonderfully, neither could have known that the ancient fairy people they talked about would twist—DG forced herself not to think, _end_—their own lives. It was for this reason that DG fell asleep to her own tears, and the painful reminder that she could, soon, lose her sister for good.


	11. Chapter 10

So I've just realised that this chapter never got posted when it was meant to, but everyone received messages that it was up. I'm so sorry, it was me and my second-guessing! Two chapters for you all tonight!

Fae

* * *

Chapter Ten

_By sunsset_, Ka rasped.

"Perfect." Her cold laughter rang about the cavern.

* * *

The group was up with the suns, packing up quickly and preparing for their ascent of the narrow, winding path that lead to the mouth of the cave. DG and Ambrose looked especially puffy-eyed as they saddled Calaise together. She put her hand on his arm for a moment, but he didn't look up at her.

"It's going to be all right, Glitch," she said, wishing she felt as confident as her voice sounded.

Ambrose gave a anxious smile at the use of his nickname. "I hope so, Az."

"What?"

"What what?" Ambrose glanced up from the saddlebag.

"What did you just call me?" DG asked, surprised.

"DG, didn't I?" He was looking at her as though he'd only just realised she was there. "What else would I call you?"

"I—" DG was cut off by Cain.

"Let's get moving," he called, mounting his horse.

Ambrose nodded to him and helped DG onto her horse. He was the last to mount, and they started, single-file, up the mountain path. DG was in the lead, but the going was still slow; it was a steep grade and the horses were picking their footing carefully.

Consequently, they did not reach the entrance to the mines until almost sunsset. After only an hour of searching in the mine entryway, Cain insisted they return and set up camp, much to DG's vexation. They emerged from the cave onto the wide plateau where their horses and supplies were. The rock shelf was perfectly situated for a campsite, jutting from the mountain like a pouting lip.

"Kid, it's going to be too dark to see anything in here if we stay any longer. Our lights only last so long," Cain insisted as they left the kind of antechamber. DG nodded curtly, then pulled a paper from her bag and walked around a bend that led further up the mountain, so she was by herself just around the corner of the ridge.

Exhaling deeply, DG lowered herself slowly, sliding down into a sitting position with her back to the sunbathed rock wall behind her. She pressed her palms hard against her eyes, until tiny lights popped in front of them. Nothing had been among the stones embedded in the walls of that opening. There had been a stretch of a corridor that branched from where they had been looking, but then Cain had insisted that they return. She felt horrible for leaving her friends to set up their supplies without help, but the weight that lay in the bottom of her stomach, that connected her to Azkadellia, was making it impossible to do anything but wallow. She sighed. When she opened her eyes again, she unfolded the map she had taken from her bag. _There has to be a faster way down the mountain_, she told herself. It seemed like the perfect excuse to have for deserting her friends.

Before she had enough time to realise that she wasn't aware of what she was looking at, Cain rounded the corner. He looked at DG for a moment—_Guh-linda she's beautiful—_then sat down next to her. She was aware of his presence, but didn't look up from her paper. He tentatively put a hand on her arm. That made her look up.

"Hi," she said shortly, reverting her gaze downwards again.

"What are you looking at?" Cain asked after a long pause.

"Map."

"Indeed. Of what?" he teased.

"I'm _trying_ to find an easier way down from the cave," DG snapped, pulling away a bit.

"Sorry," Cain answered, dropping his arm immediately and putting a little more space between them.

"It's fine."

There was another long pause. "It's going to be all right, Deeg," Cain said quietly. DG's head dropped into her hands again as she gave a shuddering breath.

"You know, everyone keeps saying that—_I­_ keep saying that. That doesn't make it true. It doesn't mean I'm guaranteed not to lose her," she said to her knees. Cain moved close again, and put his arm around her. Thankfully, DG didn't resist this time. She sighed again and leaned back into his warm, strong arms, her head on his chest. "I will never, never forgive myself," she whispered.

In the split second that Cain tightened his hold on her, DG twisted herself so that she was facing him, sitting up. She put one hand on his unshaven cheek, and then moved in close.

Worlds collided and ignited in a thousand colours and lights as their lips met. Cain's hands moved instantaneously, one to her back and one in her hair as he inhaled her scent. DG melted under him, relishing the awesome feeling of weightlessness she had. Nothing mattered except that they go on like this forever, his fingers caught in her hair—

A cough broke the moment. Jeb stood at the bend where Cain had just come from. A hard, angry look filled his father's face, which Jeb ignored. "DG, uh, we need the matches—they're in your bag," he said. "When you have a minute."

_Go on_, Cain told DG with one look. She stood up. "I'll help get dinner started," she said, and disappeared around the corner, looking incredibly pink in the face. Now Jeb stood staring at his father, who was in turn gazing into the low suns with the same angry look as when he had first seen his son.

"Something I can help you with?" Cain asked in a low voice when Jeb didn't speak.

"No, just wondering," Jeb answered, matching his father's tone.

"Wondering _what_?" Cain spat back, rising.

"What the hell you think you're doing." Jeb turned and left, furious with himself for not seeing it sooner. And DG! He had trusted her. _No_, he told himself. _He wouldn't do it_. He wrenched his bag open when he reached the campsite and started pulling out rations.

"Fuzzface, give me a hand here," he half-shouted at Raw.

* * *

_They will not enter the mines again tonight_, Ka told her. _They wait for first light_.

"That's good. The longer they take, the more time the others lose."

Ka growled. _They have a Viewer_.

"It does not matter. My spells have blocked our presence. Except for your midnight snack," she added coldly.

_I apologise, my queen._

* * *

As the group sat around the fire, there was an almost electricity that crackled back and forth between the identical stony glares of the Cain men. Worried, DG caught Cain's eye, but he shook his head and returned to stabbing at his food with unwonted venom. She tried Jeb, but he didn't even meet her eyes. _They're in for another fight_, DG knew.

She was correct. After all the others had fallen asleep one by one, Cain stood up and started to walk towards the ridge where he together. As he passed his son's still form, Jeb's arm shot up, causing Cain to stop.

"We need to talk," Jeb said. He stood up and brushed himself off, and motioned to Cain to follow him. Cain stiffened, but did so.

A safe distance from their friends, they stopped, staring over the edge of the cliff. "How can you be okay with this? Telling yourself that it's all right, it's no big deal," Jeb said in a low voice.

"I'm not telling myself anything. And there hasn't been a day when I haven't suffered thinking of your mother—"

"So you feel pain when you think about the pain you think she probably went through, for you? That's your reasoning? How do you think I'm feeling about this? I was there when Zero killed her, I buried her. You get locked up, imagine yourself a situation where you felt every stitch of pain we did, and _that's_ why it's okay for you to marry another woman? Another woman who, I might point out, is young enough to be my sister, and who's one of my best friends?" Every bitter feeling he had had about his mother's death, his father's imprisonment had embellished itself in Jeb's mind. Though he had always been successful at banishing them, the image of DG and his father had brought them back, and now they were finally coming free.

He had hit the right nerve. "How can you say that? How can you possibly even think that you know that?" Cain's voice was low. "Jeb, she was my first love, the best thing in my world. I can't stay alone forever, though, huddled by myself, living in the past. I did it for eight years—I have to be able to keep going. DG's helped me find the way to do that—I love her, I've finally learned that. I feel like I can be happy again with her."

"This is ridiculous! The Queen won't allow it!" Jeb shouted.

"That's not the issue right now," Cain said, his anger starting to overpower him. It was impossible to think that, hours before, he had been ecstatically happy. "I will not leave her because you can't get past it, or let yourself see what's really there."

"Then I'm going."

"What?" Cain asked.

"I'm leaving, I'm tired of fighting you! You win, are you happy?" _It's a miracle no one's woken up yet_, he thought as he whirled around. He left his father standing in the dark as he marched back to the fire, where the others were asleep. He snatched up his bag and, knowing it would be pointless to ride the horse down the dark mountain path, did not fasten the saddle around the animal.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

When she woke the next morning, the suns already having risen, DG felt almost—happy. She didn't know why until she remembered the previous afternoon. Her dream had been good too, but she couldn't remember what it was. Her eyes still closed, DG remembered that wonderful feeling. Then she finally opened them, and found she was staring into the mouth of the cave, from which a faint glitter shone. A weight crushed her heart. What was happening to Az right now?

She shuddered, not wanting to imagine it, and sat up. Brushing her hand through her hair, DG headed over to where Ambrose and Raw were sorting the tools they had brought. Lanterns, pickaxes, ropes, and so on.

"Morning, princess," Ambrose teased. "Food's here if you want it," he said, gesturing to the bacon on the tin plate beside him. DG gratefully took one of the lukewarm pieces and looked around. Cain was standing not far away, staring down the path they had come up yesterday.

"Where's Jeb?" she asked suddenly.

"Well, Cain's over there," Ambrose said unhelpfully, glancing at Raw.

DG had an ominous feeling. "Raw?"

"Jeb gone," he said simply.

"What?" DG stood suddenly. Without waiting for an answer, she marched immediately over to Cain. "Where's Jeb?"

"Gone," Cain said. It took DG a moment to prevent herself from hitting him.

"So I've heard," she said through gritted teeth. "Where's he gone _to_?"

"I don't know," he answered, not meeting her eyes, but staring unfocusedly down the side of the mountain. "We argued last night and he left," Cain added gruffly.

"Why would he leave? Cain, look at me!" DG cried, her voice going up a half-octave. "What did you say?" Cain turned slowly to look into her eyes, and DG understood instantly. She gave a hysterical laugh. "He thinks—oh no." His silence was enough to confirm her thoughts, and make her even angrier. She turned away, rubbing her hand over her face.

When she said nothing, Cain did. "I'm sorry." His voice sounded dry.

Trying to keep her voice from shaking with anger, DG turned to face him again. "Did you explain that he's wrong? No, of course you didn't, what am I asking? Oh, he must hate me."

"I'm not his favourite person at the moment either," Cain said.

"How could you let him leave? You could have gotten me, you know! I could have reasoned with him! Now—who knows where he is? Or—" a horrible thought struck—"what if we don't hear from him again?"

"I don't know, Deeg. I'm sorry," he said quietly. His defeated tone was softening her, even making her feel a little guilty. "But you should know that I've been watching the horizon all night—"

"You didn't sleep?" DG asked incredulously.

Cain shook his head. "Doesn't matter. I've been watching all night, and I haven't seen him go."

"He's still here?" DG was confused. "Wait, on the mountain, you mean? We have to find him! What if he got hurt?"

"He's a big boy. If he's still here, we'll meet him on the way down," Cain said. Jeb's words still rankled, but he could wait. Azkadellia could not. "What about your sister?"

DG was ashamed. She'd almost forgotten why they were there. "You're right," she conceded.

The two turned back to Ambrose and Raw, who stood immediately. Ambrose handed each a lantern. "If you see anything that looks different from the Bastium crystals, say so. The Avernal has its own inner light, and it's much smoother. That's what sets it apart, but it's hard to describe beyond that. You know it when you see it, though. Now, I think the best luck we'll have is if we follow the tunnel to the connection chamber of the mine," he finished when no one said anything.

"Let's go, then," DG said, and she followed her friends into the cave. Glancing back one last time, she noticed another Birdofprae soar silently past the opening behind her. Shuddering at the enormous animal's appearance, she trotted forward to walk next to Ambrose.

It was close to sunsrise. He got on his horse and continued down the mountain, which, like the ride up, took the better part of the day. It didn't matter; it gave him time to think about where he was going to go, and what he was going to do. He wouldn't return to Finaqua, that was certain.

In the early afternoon, camped—well, stopped—at the base of the mountain, Jeb tore angrily into a piece of bread with his teeth. He didn't understand how his father could have possibly done this. And his best friend—how could she have done it?

_He deserves the happiness. Mom's been gone a while._

No, Jeb answered the argumentative voice. Not long enough for this.

_You sound like a little kid._

Yeah, well, what are you gonna do?

_You should let him be free. He wants to keep living his life, and he found someone to share it with._

She's like my sister!

His internal fight was cut off by a shadow that flew overhead. A Birdofprae, enormous and ugly, was circling lower and lower, until it landed just around a curve of the mountain.

_Birdofpraes don't nest on the ground_.

Seized momentarily by a terrifying thrill, Jeb quietly moved over to the bend, his pistol ready to be fired. He looked around just in time to see the animal enter a cave. Not stupid enough to corner an animal like a Birdofprae, Jeb waited silently outside the cave for ten minutes. Then, the creature lumbered back out of the cave and took off into flight.

_What's going _on? Jeb asked himself. When the Birdofprae was gone, somewhere high above him, he crept into the cave. He stopped dead, stunned by what he saw.


	13. Chapter 12

Well, as KLCtheBookWorm has brought to my attention, there was an edit I missed.

Trying to keep her voice from shaking with anger, DG turned to face him again. "Did you explain that he's wrong? No, of course you didn't, what am I asking? Oh, he must hate me."

This was a mistake left over from when this conversation had another context, and even a few characters had different roles. Disregard this, and I apologise for any confusion!

Fae

* * *

Chapter Twelve

_They are here, my mistress_, she heard. One long-nailed hand stroked Ka's ugly head.

"Good."

* * *

"Whoa," Ambrose said, stopping so suddenly that DG almost walked into him. "That's the end of the tunnel, I guess," he said. After nearly two hours of walking the narrow branch, they were standing at the top of a stone ramp, carved from the wall of the enormous cavern they overlooked. It was easily the size of the entry hall in the Northern Island Palace. The mountain didn't look this big from the outside, DG thought. Crystals adorned the walls, sparkling with the same glowing, silvery light. It would take much longer than the time they had to check each crystal, or even figure out a way to navigate the cavern.

Unless—"Wait a minute," DG said, smiling. "Turn off your lights," she instructed. They all did so, but the stones' glitter remained, making the cavern easy to see. "Perfect."

"What? What's perfect?" Ambrose asked as DG began to descend the ramp.

"Where's the light coming from?" she called, her voice echoing weirdly. "There's no way the suns' light reach this far. The Avernal is here somewhere, so we need to watch for changing light!"

"Of course!" Ambrose answered. "Walk past the walls," he told Cain and Raw. "If you see the light shift, freeze. At least one of us will be in front of the Avernal."

"Good one, Glitch," Cain said, clapping him on the shoulder. He and Raw followed Ambrose and DG down the carved trail. At the base, DG was running her hands over the rock wall some five metres away.

"Let's go," Cain said to Ambrose. They started walking the other way, imitating DG. Raw went over to her and started helping.

However, after nearly three hours, they had had no luck. _Maybe it wasn't that simple_, DG thought. She stopped and bit her lip. Raw put a paw on her shoulder. "Use magic?" he asked, articulating her thoughts. "Find like emerald?"

"Well, I don't know if that would work, Raw," DG said. "It wasn't just my magic that worked that time. I had the—"

"Wait! DG! What about this?" Ambrose called from across the cavern. He was swinging something on a piece of string. _Wait_, DG looked closer. It was the locket.

Ambrose walked towards them and handed DG the necklace. She examined it closely.

"Worth a try," Cain suggested, coming up behind Ambrose. DG nodded resolutely and clenched it tight in her hand. She focused her energy on the crystal, or at least what she assumed it looked like. She could feel something inside her searching, and the locket suddenly burned white-hot, as it had that night in her parents' study. She opened her palm, and the necklace shot from her hand, flying clear across the cave and striking the wall with a sound like coins being dropped.

DG grinned and hurried over to that wall, her friends some distance behind. She bent and picked up the locket, sliding it in her pocket as she stood and faced the wall in front of her. She put one hand close to the rock, smiled again, and stepped forward.

Ambrose, Cain, and Raw each yelled in surprise as DG vanished completely.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

As the three ran forward, shouting DG's name, they suddenly heard her echoing, disembodied voice speaking.

"Walk through!" she said. "Just do what I did, the rock disappears!"

Cain stepped close to the wall uneasily, and then put his hands in front of him as he walked—through. He had made it. Ambrose and Raw followed seconds after, and walked into Cain's back. He gestured at them to be quiet, and then went to sit on a rock not far from DG.

She was perched on a small boulder, staring at a waterfall that was eerily quiet for something that looked so powerful. She glanced back at them as her friends entered. "I think it's behind the waterfall," she told them. "That's where the light looks like it's coming from. I can use my magic to move the water, but I haven't done anything this big on my own." DG's voice caught. "Not for a while, at least. I need to concentrate." Her friends nodded. Raw moved to sit next to Cain and watched the water as well.

Ambrose, however, began walking around the chamber. The ceiling was high—twenty metres, at least. He looked at the walls as he passed. DG certainly seemed to be correct, the light was coming from behind the waterfall. As he turned around again, he noticed an opening in the wall a short ways from where he stood. Glancing back, he started to walk toward it. Cain noticed.

"Glitch," he hissed. Ambrose shook his head and kept moving toward the narrow passage. As he stepped through, he flinched. Something had moved suddenly over in the corner. Ambrose looked over. Nothing. Nonetheless, he walked slowly toward it. There was a bluish glow coming from this opening. He took another step forward—and he was sliding down a gentle, but long grade. He landed roughly on his back, and cursed as he stood and brushed himself off.

Then he looked up, and Ambrose recognized what he was looking at. It was a wall of pearly Opalescent, another element found in the Kyrrhe mines. _Opalescent is the opposite of Moritainium and Bastium_, he remembered. _It's not used at all anymore_. Suddenly, he heard DG's voice—she sounded happy. Something deep inside him leapt hopefully, and he immediately started to scramble back up the slope he'd just slid down.

_Help me…_

Ambrose froze and turned to face the misty column behind him.

_Ambrose…please…_

A woman's face and figure flashed from within the Opalescent—beautiful, with impossibly long hair—and a thousand things clunked into place in Ambrose's mind. The stories weren't true—the Birdofprae, the Opalescent, Galatea's unexplained disappearance. It all fit, he realised as he clawed his way back up to the top and out into the chamber with the waterfall.

"DG!" he gasped. "Wait—don't—"

But it was too late to warn them. DG, Cain, and Raw turned to face him, DG with a concerned look on her face. She was soaking wet, but looked pleased—the Avernal Crystal was in her hand.

Ambrose groaned.

"What's going on?" DG asked.

"We have to get out of here, I'll explain, but we need to leave, now, before—"

"Before what, head-case?" asked a cold, clear voice behind them.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Ambrose's jaw dropped as Cain, DG, and Raw whirled around. A tall, dark-haired woman stood in front of them. Her razor-sharp features accentuated the elevated dark eyebrows and high cheekbones. High above her, a Birdofprae landed on a ledge protruding from the rock wall, glaring beadily, menacingly, down at the scene.

"Now, from those faces, I'd say that you weren't expecting me. Maybe the princesses in the Outer Zone aren't as smart as they used to be," she said silkily. There was a manic glint in her eye that made DG automatically step back. "Oh, don't take on so," she purred. "If you give me the Crystal, there is no reason you shouldn't be able to leave in one piece."

"You—you're Philia, aren't you?" DG asked. "How--?"

"—Am I alive?" Philia asked in a bored tone. "A less than interesting question, princess. Let's say, Cania's not as powerful as she thinks. History is written by the victor, you know."

"Your sister is long gone," Cain spat.

Philia laughed cruelly. The Birdofprae gave a cry. It sounded as though it too was laughing. "No she's not, Tin Man. You know that."

"That doesn't matter—she's got no power!" DG cried, taking another backward step. The longer she could keep Philia distracted, the more time she had to formulate a plan.

"Maybe not at present moment, but the part of Cania that lives on in your sister, little princess," Philia answered sweetly, "will emerge the second her insignificant life is over. And I will be there, ready to finally destroy her."

"You can't leave this cave, though, can you?" DG shouted, understanding. "That's why you lured us here, lied, said Galatea was still alive! You need the Crystal!"

A look of cold fury filled Philia's face. "Oh, very good. But, I assure you that Galatea is very much alive. How else would I have gotten you that message? She's just been—how shall I put it? On ice," she murmured. "But that hardly matters. She dies with your sister, in two midnights' time. Now," she continued, her voice hardening. "Enough chatter, princess. Give me the Crystal."

"No," DG said loudly, her voice echoing. Ambrose, Raw, and Cain moved in behind her.

"I think you underestimate me." Philia's voice was a low, deadly hiss. She snapped her fingers once, and a spell sent Cain, Ambrose, and Raw flying across the cavern, landing behind Philia.

DG stood firm.

"You can't win, little one," Philia told her in a dangerous voice. "Your sister will die, you will not be there to save her, and soon I will have control of the Outer Zone." DG was aware of Cain stirring, which momentarily distracted Philia. She knew she had to make her move.

"DG!" Ambrose yelled as she launched herself at the witch's legs. The Birdofprae screeched again, this time angrily. Without flinching, Philia flicked her hand. DG froze in time, and arm's length from Philia's body. The witch bent delicately, and slid the crystal from DG's hand, then sidestepped and flicked her wrist again.

DG crashed, much to her surprise, into solid earth. She felt her hands scrape ground—the Crystal wasn't in her hand anymore. She looked around, confused, then up into Philia's jeering face.

"I warned you," Philia said, holding up the Avernal, which illuminated her face with a greenish glow. "Now that you've been so helpful to me, I'm going to make sure you get to spend some real quality time with your friends."

She was going to seal them in the cavern—all four realised it in the same instant.

"Cain—" DG started to shout, but was cut off by a snap from Philia, and she was flung backwards into the rock. Her head hit the wall, and she felt her ribs crack, then sear with pain again as she hit the ground. A roar echoed around the cavern. Raw lunged at Philia from behind, but she flicked her hand yet again, and he was knocked aside, into Cain and Ambrose. Thick chains appeared from nowhere, binding the three together.

"You've made this much more difficult than it needs to be!" she shrieked. "Now, we're going to have to end it here."

She rounded on DG, who was still on the ground, barely moving. "You first, I think," Philia said. She was next to DG in a flash, and wrenched her up. DG groaned at the pain in her side. The witch yanked her face up, and began to draw out her life force.

Everything in DG's mind was spinning into darkness. The pain was leaving, and she was detached from everything. Dying wasn't so bad…

Then suddenly, oxygen, thought, and pain came back to her in one searing second as she was dropped back onto the cavern floor. Philia screamed—DG heard a thud that could only mean someone had fallen.

Among the mingled yells, she heard a voice that could not possibly have been there. Jeb was shouting to his father. Her heart leapt, and she forced herself to stand up. Her legs felt like jelly, but that was nothing to the confusion she saw before her.

Philia was facing another woman, whose silvery appearance could only make her Galatea. They each had a web of magic built around them, acting as a shield. Jeb—DG did a double take—was helping his father to his feet, the broken chains scattered on the ground. Raw and Ambrose, too, were getting to their feet. Without thinking about it, DG cast up her own net of protection, and moved to join Galatea. The Birdofprae descended upon them, coming to save Philia, but Cain was too quick for him—three shots, and the animal crashed to earth, dead. Philia's face contorted with rage and pain, and she was momentarily diverted.

"Now, DG! Concentrate your light on her!" Galatea shouted. As soon as the three webs met, an explosion of blinding white light caused the cavern to shake. DG heard screams of pain coming from the center of the orb she couldn't look at. It felt as though the whole cavern would come down on their heads. Rocks were tumbling everywhere—

"DG!" a voice shouted, and she was tackled sideways, onto her broken ribs as a crushing weight fell onto her leg. She screamed loudly in pain as whoever it was shielded her from the falling rock. Even through her streaming, closed eyes, DG saw the almighty flash of light before everything went dark.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

DG's head was throbbing as she opened her eyes. Cain was looking down at her with strangest expression on his face. She realised that from her angle, she must have had her head in his lap. She craned her neck to an odd angle to look around.

"Are you—" she started to ask Cain, putting one hand up to his face.

"DG!" Ambrose, Raw, and Jeb were hurrying over. Jeb had a spectacular bruise forming on the side of his head, Raw was limping, and the cut above Ambrose's eyebrow was bleeding profusely.

"Are you all okay?" DG asked instantly. Galatea's face appeared behind her friends'.

"It's you we should be concerned about, DG," she said. DG looked down at the heavy rock—small, but dense—that had landed on her leg and rolled away.

"Galatea?" DG asked stupidly, looking back up. Her head was pounding where it had hit the rock. Galatea smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"Yes, DG it's me, but we must leave quickly. Azkadellia can't wait much longer," she said.

"We need to go," DG mumbled, feeling her eyes begin to close. Going to sleep in Cain's arms would feel so good right now…

"DG!" Cain's voice startled her. She looked up at him crossly. "Sorry, you need to stay awake, I think you have a concussion."

"Oh…okay, then," DG said contentedly. Then, suddenly, something of what Galatea had said registered. "Wait—the Crystal. We need to get it back to Az."

"Yes," Galatea said. "She has one midnight left, we must leave immediately."

"One midnight? Tomorrow? But—wait, it's gone," DG answered, horrified. "She—Philia—oh no—no, Az!"

"DG, calm down," Ambrose said, his voice shaking. "The Avernal—"

"It can't be destroyed," Galatea finished for him. She stepped back, looking carefully down around her feet in the pile of rock. She chose her spot, reached down and in a fluid movement straightened, producing the still-glowing Avernal Crystal, apparently intact. Galatea smiled again. "Azkadellia needs this before tomorrow's midnight. It was part of Philia's plan, I assume—your sister would die, releasing Cania, and you would be miles away before you even knew what had happened. She underestimated you. Now we have time to get back."

DG chalked it all up to her concussion. "Then it's time to go," she said.

"We'll go my way," Galatea said. "Jeb, you know how to get out. Go ahead of us—she'll be fine—go ahead of us, bring only the horses down as quickly as possible. Now!"

Jeb left the cave, with a worried glance at his friend, going down the opening where Ambrose had earlier seen Galatea.

"Where—?" Cain immediately asked.

"Your son is a smart man," Galatea interrupted, sliding the stone into a pouch that hung from the belt of her silvery cloak. "He knew what was happening the second he saw Ka on his way down the path." She nodded at the Birdofprae's dead body. "The animal landed outside the base of the mountain and entered a cave. Jeb saw him, and waited for him to leave. Birdofpraes don't nest on ground levels, you know. Ka was coming to check on me—in my prison of Opalescent. After I was enchanted and forced to make that message for DG, Philia blocked my magic. Jeb saw me—he was able to release me and we came immediately to where Philia had you cornered.

"Now he has gone to bring your horses down to my prison. It's accessible at the base of the path. We will carry DG there and wait for him, then ride as quickly as possible." The other four nodded.

After struggling their way out of the cavern, DG carried by Raw and Ambrose, it did not take long for Jeb to bring the horses—probably because it had taken a while to get out. Galatea bandaged DG's broken bones as the others prepared the horses.

"We have to ride all the way back," she informed DG. "My magic won't get all of us back. I'm sorry if it hurts you, but at least you'll stay awake." DG smiled her thanks. Her leg actually felt better with the pressure of the bandages. "I'll be taking DG's horse, gentlemen," Galatea said, standing up and facing the newly saddled horses. "She can't ride alone. Wyatt, you will take her."

Cain opened his mouth, but Raw smacked him lightly in the stomach. Ambrose was already astride his horse. Raw and Cain lifted DG wordlessly into Cain's saddle. Soon the group was riding quickly south once again.

They had been riding for hours. The suns had long since set, and they were all tired and aching, but DG insisted that she would not be able to keep going if they stopped. As a result, they had made it nearly half of the way home in the time it had taken them to get to the Viewers' camp on the way to the Kyrrhes. It was well after midnight—closer to dawn, Cain observed—when they stopped. The horses needed to rest, as did the riders.

"Galatea?" DG asked as she was lifted from Cain's horse and laid on a makeshift bed of his and Ambrose's jackets.

"Yes, DG?"

"It's past the sixth midnight. Can't we send a message or something to my parents? Let them know we're coming?"

"Yes, we should," Ambrose cut in. "Azkadellia is running out of time. They'll want to know. Do you have the glass, DG?"

DG shook her head. "No. It broke when Cain pushed me out of the way." Cain smiled and sat down next to her.

"Don't worry, DG. I'll take care of it. I think I can manage that much," Galatea assured her. "At this rate, we will make it to Finaqua in plenty of time to help Azkadellia. We'll rest for a few hours here," she added to the group as a whole. "Then move on quickly."

"Galatea," Ambrose called. He was the only person still standing besides her; the others were already lying down. "May I speak to you?" he asked.

"Of course," Galatea answered, striding over to meet him.

DG's fuzzy and aching mind, trapped somewhere between sleep and consciousness, was distracted from the private conversation by a gentle hand on her arm. Lifting her heavy eyelids, she saw Cain looking at her with that ever-unfathomable expression.

"I'm here if you need me," he said quietly.

"Then come closer," DG answered. Cain didn't need telling twice. He moved in right next to her, and put his arms around her. Without the energy to say everything she wanted to, she tipped her throbbing head against his chest and fell asleep listening to his gentle breathing. With each comforting beat of his heart, Cain told her, _I'm here…I love you…I'm yours…_


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

The hardest leg of the journey began a few hours after the sunsrise. They had to sort through the Mayze, the quickest way into Finaqua, which, had they had more time, they would have avoided and come around the back way. It was worse too because DG was in more pain than ever despite Raw's offers to help. Instead, she took to squeezing Cain between her arms and gasping loudly whenever she was jerked too roughly.

"It's okay, Deeg," he'd say every time this happened. She'd smile like a little girl into the back of his duster.

So, their final trip to Finaqua took a long while, though they rode as fast at they could on the overtired horses with DG injured—they arrived in the Palace with only half an hour to spare. The Queen and her husband met them as they arrived in the courtyard, having heard the horses as they approached.

"DG, what—?" Ahamo began immediately, seeing the three men lift her from the horse and carry her towards the stairs.

"Where is Azkadellia?" Galatea interrupted.

The Queen looked as though she would faint. Calmly though, she said, "come," and the group progressed up the sweeping marble staircase, DG's weight shared awkwardly between her father and Cain.

In Azkadellia's chamber, Ambrose took one look at the princess and backed against the wall, where Jeb, Raw, and Cain stood, in shock. According to the Queen, Az had not woken that morning and had remained so all day. Myro had been there, but he had been unable to help her. Azkadellia's skin was pale to the point of translucency, and her breathing was laboured. DG, her eyes full of tears, took her sister's cold hand in her own from where she sat.

"You're safe," she whispered. "I'm back."

"DG, quickly," Galatea said gently, putting one hand on DG's back. "You must use your magic, now. We have only fifteen minutes."

DG gave Galatea her other hand, and, unsure of what would happen, closed her eyes and focused her magic on the brightly glowing Crystal in Galatea's palm. A small sound of breaking glass caused her to open them. A tiny piece of the gem, no larger than DG's fingernail, had broken off, and now orbited the Crystal's ever-present light.

Galatea broke hands with DG, and plucked the piece from the air in front of her. The Queen bit her lip and squeezed Ahamo's hand as Galatea laid the shard over the exposed hollow between Azkadellia's collarbones. It lay there shimmering for a moment as the room held its collective breath. Then suddenly, the piece melted—at least, that's how it appeared, and dissolved into Az's skin, and it was gone.

For a few moments, it seemed as though nothing had happened. Then:

"Look," the Queen said quietly. DG had noticed it too. Azkadellia had begun breathing gently again, and something in her face had relaxed. Galatea lowered herself gracefully into a chair at the foot of the bed, sweeping her silver hair behind her.

"Now," she said, folding her hands delicately, "we wait."

"Thank you," the Queen murmured, not removing her eyes from Az.

DG sat there watching Azkadellia, aching from her injuries and their long journey. Ahamo opened his arms, knowing she would not leave her sister's side until Az woke up, and she leaned stiffly, but gratefully into him.

The last she remembered was her pounding head against her father's neck, her bandaged leg sticking awkwardly in front of her, and the sounds, yet again, of the palace clocks chiming twelve.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Somewhere high above the warm softness she lay on, people were talking, and a door closed. She wanted to care what they were saying, but she was just too comfortable.

Wait…that was Az's voice. DG's eyes snapped open. Right next to her was her sister, looking a little pale, but smiling gladly at DG. "Hey, Deeg," she said. Immediately, DG detected the return of the happy note in her sister's voice. Azkadellia put one hand on DG's arm preemptively. "Don't sit up—you have some broken ribs they've bandaged."

DG smiled back and felt her dully-aching side.

"You've been asleep for almost two days. Mother just left for a moment," Az added. "She'll be glad to see you're up."

"I'm glad to see _you_ are," DG answered. She glanced down, seeing the rigid lump that was her broken leg under the blankets, and grimaced. Az grinned. "Where's everyone else?" asked DG. "Are they all right?"

"All fine, taken care of," Azkadellia promised. "And Cain had a message for you in case he wasn't here when you woke up. He says to tell you that he and Jeb have reached an understanding. And _Jeb _says that _Cain's_ not lying, and they _both _say they'll be by to see you later. Not that I would know what any of that means," she added hopefully, winking.

"Mmm," DG said. She closed her eyes and heard Az sigh in disgust. "Talked to Ambrose yet?" she sniped before she started to drift away to sleep again.

"Deeg?"

"Mmm?"

"Thank you." Az squeezed her sister's hand.

* * *

Az left her sister to sleep in peace, making her way slowly through the halls of the palace. She was supposed to be relaxing, but she had to find him. The only problem was that she had no idea where he might be.

"OW!" Azkadellia jumped. Ambrose's voice had issued from behind his ajar office door.

"I apologise, sir," came Myro's deep grumble.

Az took a closer step. "It's all right," she heard Ambrose answer. Suppressing an instant blush and grin that threatened to come into her face, she knocked quietly.

"Come in," Ambrose said. As the door opened and he saw Azkadellia standing tentatively in the doorway, he winced; Myro had dabbed again with his medicine at the mostly-healed cut on Ambrose's forehead. "P-Princess!"

"Ambrose," Az said quietly. Myro raised his eyebrows.

"Everything looks fine, sir," he said, packing his things away. "I suppose I shall see you some other time, then." Myro shook Ambrose's hand. Ambrose seemed not to have noticed, his eyes were locked on Azkadellia.

"Your Highness," Myro gave a small bow to her as he left. "I will need to see you later." Az nodded, returning Ambrose's gaze. It was a mark of Myro's good nature that he did not order Azkadellia back to bed; indeed, he smiled in a knowing way as he headed down the hall--not that the other two would have noticed.

Once they were alone, Azkadellia stepped tentatively inside Ambrose's office and shut the door. He did not move.

She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Very suddenly, Ambrose stood and moved towards her, grabbing her still-white hands. "Come with me," he said very quietly, and he led her out into the empty hallway, down to the gardens, where they could have a long walk. And perhaps a conversation.

* * *

A few hours later, Myro was examining Azkadellia, so DG was left alone in her room. There was a soft knock at the door.

"Come in," DG called. The door opened to reveal her parents, followed by the tall form of Galatea.

"How are you, my angel?" the Queen asked, sitting next to DG, who was piled on top of a stack of pillows on the bed.

"I'm fine, Mother. Just a little sore," DG answered. "Thank you," she said to Galatea. "For everything."

The sorceress shook her head. "Thank you, DG. I would never have gotten home without yours and your friends' help, and your strong magic," she said.

"She told us everything that happened, and about Philia. We're so glad you're all right," Ahamo told her with a gentle hug. "It seems so incredible." DG smiled.

"Wait, Galatea?"

"Yes?"

"There are some things I'm still unclear about. So obviously, Philia wasn't killed by her sister. But then, how did we meet her? She had no one to possess like Cania," DG said.

Galatea took a moment before answering, wrinkling her nose. "No, Philia was not killed in the usual sense of the word. She and Cania both, advanced in magic as they were, managed to imprint themselves on this world, so that if they met a 'mortal' death, in the loosest sense of the word, they would have a tie to bring them back. Possession has nothing to do with it. It just so happened that Philia's tie was not bound to a human form as Cania's was. She could be where she wished, when she wished."

DG nodded slowly.

"Galatea will return to the Northern Island the day after tomorrow," DG's mother informed her. "The palace was built by her mother—she will stay there, and assist me from time to time."

Galatea smiled again. "I'm glad to help."

"Please be sure to say goodbye," DG told her. She had begun to grow attached to Galatea's somewhat quirky presence, though she'd only known her for a few days.

"Of course."

"We'll let you rest now, DG," Ahamo said. "We're glad you're feeling better." She nodded as he offered his arm to his wife, and they left the room, followed by Galatea, who waved energetically as she closed the door. Before she did, though, DG caught a glimpse of clasped hands, locked lips silhouetted against the whitish-blue light that the window in the dark hallway provided. DG could see as they turned that one half of this being had long hair, falling to her waist. Then the door closed, but she didn't need another look to know who else was there.

* * *

Sorry, all. I've had some issues with notifications, I know. Then I got held up, I got taken out in my football (or soccer, I suppose, for my Americans) game--sprained ankle. No worries, though. But we're back on track this weekend, no doubt. Enjoy my last few fluffy chapters.

Fae


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

On her third day in bed, DG was going stir-crazy. Azkadellia, returning the favour, stayed with her almost all the time. She was eating again, and her colour was coming back. DG was not allowed to get up yet, on Myro's orders, but she had already seen Ambrose, who had stopped by the day before. DG grinned in a superior way at his and Az's laced fingers, but the other two paid no mind. Her mother and father, of course, were there almost as frequently as her sister, and Galatea as well.

"Today is the perfect day to be outside," DG sighed dramatically when she heard the door open. Turning her gaze and expecting to see Azkadellia returning with Alora, she was surprised to find Jeb Cain standing in front of the door. It was the first time she'd seen him since they returned.

"Hi," she said with a surprised smile. "Do you want to sit down?" DG gestured to the chair next to her bed. Jeb nodded and sat, fidgeting slightly and not meeting her eyes. "So…"

"I'm sorry," he blurted out.

"No. I'm the one who should be sorry," DG answered quietly. "Your friendship means a lot to me…I really wrecked this, huh?"

Jeb looked up suddenly. "No. You shouldn't think that. I know you care about him. But—y'know that feeling where the little kid in you just has to give their opinion? Even if it means hurting the people you care about?" DG nodded, and waited for Jeb to go on. He stood up suddenly and walked over to the window, looking out onto the lake. When he turned back, she saw how bright his eyes had become. "I love my mother very much, DG. I love you too, and Az. You're my best friends. I can't keep you from happiness, just like I can't keep him. I know now that my mother wouldn't have wanted him to live in the past forever. I just had to learn it for myself. So, I wanted you to know that the stupid little boy part of me won't try again to interfere, and I swear that I'll never hurt either of you like that again." DG was silent, her eyes welling up slightly. "I want us to stay best friends regardless of what happens. Just don't try to ground me," he added seriously. That she laughed at despite the sharp pain her rib gave. She opened her arms and he moved over to her again.

"No promises," she said, hugging him around his neck. They broke, and he sat down on the mattress next to her.

"So I think I'm going to leave with Galatea," he said.

"What?" DG asked.

"Yes, she needs security detail in the Kyrrhes, and the Northern Island needs more protection. She's asked if I'll come and organise things for her."

"Oh…" DG said, face falling slightly. "How long will that be for?"

"It's nothing permanent," Jeb answered hastily. "A few weeks, at the most. With regular checkups every month or so. But I need to pick some men for her guard, that takes some time. I promise, I'll come back," he told her gently.

DG smiled slightly. "All right. Don't either of you dare leave without saying goodbye, though. I'll hunt you down, Jeb Cain!" she called as he opened the door and left.

"Now I really am scared!" he answered with a laugh.

On a beautiful breezy day, some six weeks later, the two princesses, Ambrose, and Cain sat outside on the patio, enjoying the warm sun. DG had been using her sister's former wheelchair—her ribs had healed in a trice, but her leg was still splinted and bound. She didn't mind much, because her dependency gave her a reason to keep Cain at her side always.

Jeb was still with Galatea in the Northern Island, but he had written to say he would be home in the next two weeks or so.

Ambrose and Azkadellia were laughing and talking, their fingers interlocked. DG noticed with a smirk that Az's hair was loose, flowing down. In the long time since DG had suggested this change of style, she had never seen her sister do it, but today—well, DG reasoned, it _is_ Ambrose's favourite style for her, too.

Suddenly, she caught sight of Ambrose's ring, the one with the Gale Crest of the twister on it, flash in the sun. He flicked his wrist again, and the ring caught the light again. Something in DG's mind clunked into place.

"Let's go look at the rose bushes," she said suddenly, turning to Cain. "Alora says there are some yellow ones blooming this week." Cain stood.

"All right," he said slowly.

"Oh, we'll come too," Azkadellia said, but Ambrose interrupted.

"No, let's stay here, it's nicer." Az smiled in a bemused way, but leaned into his arms nonetheless as he kissed her forehead.

Cain, meanwhile, was wheeling DG towards the entrance to the gardens. He leaned over her chair, so his mouth was next to her ear. "What are you up to?" he whispered.

DG raised her eyebrows with a devious grin. "Turn here," she answered. Cain made the turn around the corner of the palace, but then DG turned herself back around so she could peek back around. She leaned forward in time to see Ambrose start to speak. Cain, too, looked on.

"Az…" Ambrose began slowly, pulling his arm from under her. She sat up with a wary expression. "Az, I—I've felt so strongly for you for so long…I wanted to…well," and he got down on one knee next to his princess' seat. Holding out a tiny box embossed with the twister, he asked quietly, "Would you marry me, Azkadellia?"

Az's jaw dropped as he opened the case to reveal the most beautiful stone she had ever seen. He slipped it on her finger and kissed her gently. "Yes," she managed to whisper in amazement. "The stone—" she started to ask, still transfixed by its beauty.

"It's a piece of the Avernal Crystal that saved you," he told her. "It lasts forever, it can never be des—"

Azkadellia locked her hands on his neck, brought his lips close to hers and whispered, "I love you."

"Likewise," Ambrose answered, kissing her passionately.

DG didn't need to hear all that was said to know what was going on. Smiling broadly, she dropped back in her chair, looking up at Cain. He too was smiling, but at her. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing." And he leaned down, kissing her upside-down lips in an exceedingly overpowering way, so that DG had no choice but to comply whole-heartedly.


	20. Epilogue

Epilogue

Over an annual passed without danger. Ambrose and Azkadellia married happily, and nearly all the Outer Zone, or so it seemed, turned up for the celebration. Galatea had been an honored guest of the celebration. Within five months of their wedding, they announced Azkadellia's pregnancy. Three months later, it was determined that she would be having twins. This, too, the entire Zone celebrated, and Azkadellia knew the truth that had been in Ambrose's words one day over one annual previously.

One night, the entire royal family sat in the private parlour, gathered together to celebrate DG's birthday. She sat cross-legged in the middle of the sofa, Cain on her left and Jeb on her right, laughing and talking happily with her family. Ambrose and Az were on the couch opposite theirs, and the Queen and her husband sat between the two.

"Here, Deeg, open this one next," Azkadellia said from her seat. She started to lean forward and hand DG the beautifully wrapped gift, but was blocked by her already quite-large stomach. Ambrose did it for her.

"Thank you!" DG said excitedly, pulling the ribbon from the box. She lifted off the lid and gasped. "Az…this is _beautiful_."

As much as DG despised wearing the elegant gowns her mother and sister so enjoyed, she had to admit that she would not object to this beautiful dress. It was satin, a silvery white colour that caught the light as it moved, with just the right amount of looseness in its long skirt. Brocade lined the hems, collar, and twisted down the seams. The cap sleeves made it just the line between fluffy and charming.

"I'm glad you like it," Azkadellia answered.

"I actually asked your sister for a little help shopping," Cain admitted. "I asked her what she was getting you, and I bought something that goes with this." He passed her a blank envelope, at which her parents smiled strangely.

"Thank you," she said, a growing feeling of awareness filling her mind. She looked inside the envelope, but—"There's nothing in here," DG told Cain, looking up.

"Really?" Cain asked, confused. He patted his pockets. "Oh, here it is. I must have forgotten to wrap it." DG set her jaw as her eyes filled slightly, knowing what was coming. Cain flicked her something small, and she caught it.

"Of course," she told him. "Yes, yes, yes, a hundred times, yes!" She smothered her tin man in an ardent wave of love that she didn't care who saw as he laughed out loud in surprise.

* * *

Well, here we are. I can't believe this. My first fan fiction, and it's finished. My Lord. Thank you to those who read along, and to those who are reading it once it's finished. Your reviews and your reads really mean a lot. I love happy endings, I'm a total sucker for them, so I hope no one's lost interest in these fluffier chapters that have been happening. I can promise some other stories in the future. We'll see what happens, yes?

From KLC's daily chapter reviews, to a peculiar review with a question regarding this story as a mistaken femslash (pardon me?), I've enjoyed sharing this with you. Thanks.

Fae


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